You hit the nail on the head with Daunte. The media and fans will not forget those comments, so if indeed he wants to stay in MN (which I highly doubt)he better address them quickly. Personnaly for me I would trade him, but I've never been a big fan anyway, and like you said it has nothing to do with his skin color. He has never displayed any type of leadership that I can remember and isn't doing anything now to change my mind now.

AAAAHH! Please Mr COD and others stop over-reacting to sound bytes. I don't care if he's at the game. I'd prefer him to stay at home and off that knee. Let's recap his year: poor play against good teams with no protection or a decent offensive coordinator, his knee blows out, ridiculous charges about nothing and the constant harping about how much he sucks. I'd be a little sensitive and maybe say something dumb. He's 28 years old. I've said a lot of stupid stuff at 28. Thank god no one had a microphone in front of me. I wonder why nobody has a problem with Brad's play. Do you know why he's got a quick release? Because nobody can friggin' block.

Sounds like another self annointed Team Leader from the other tenant in the crap-dome, who injured himself this summer.

What is it with this crybaby? He is fortunate that his season ended when it did, lest he go down as having one of the worst seasons in the history of the team. Racial issue. Look at Hovan last year - a white guy. Give me a break. daunte gets more free passes than anyone, white or black. Randy Moss never acted this bad and he was run out of town by a low grade moron with a pencil behind his ear. Daunte gets his ass kissed by everyone and this is how that malcontent repays it - oh and not to mention his little pouting blackmail in pre-season (reneging on a contract, which Wilf happliy paid).

As far as I am concerned, although Culpepper is a great player, if his attitude does not improve it will be time to send him packing.

PA Viking: First, thanks for leaving the comment. I appreciate all the view points here and love reading everyone's comments.

I wanted to respond to your comments. First, I do not believe I have been bashing Daunte's skills...how could I? What I have been questioning is his leadership. The QB is the leader of the team, the general on the field, the captain of the ship. And when things are bleak, the captain is to go down with the ship. I'm simply asking, "Where is our captain?"

You and others also refer to his past seasons wherein Daunte excelled. No doubt about it, he did. But that was with a different type of team, different players, different coaches and schemes. The Vikes no longer have the players required for the wide-open offense we have been fortunate enough to witness the last several years. And it is the true test of leadership to be able to adjust to the tools given you and still excel. BBB stepped in and changed the game...even to the angst of the current coaching staff who eventually saw the light and agreed with the short passing game. BBB adjusted to the tools given him and won six straight.

And whether the teams BBB played were not of the caliper Daunte faced earlier this season has no bearing on my underlying issue....leadership. Daunte showed no signs of adjusting early on. He just went to the sidelines, pulled his cap down and crossed his arms...pouting.

That is what I'm asking of Daunte if he comes back next season. When the ship is listing, sinking, or blown out of the water we, as fans, can look to Daunte for the leadership to right the ship. He's failed miserably this season and I don't think anyone can contest that.

Oh, and I voted for Daunte to come back next year. Just to set the record straight. I just want the pouting gone.

Mr COD, I agree that BBB has played well and within himself. I don't think he had too much adjusting to do. The short game is all he has. We got just what we were expecting from him. No risk and no turnovers for most of his season. He didn't screw it up. So if that's leadership then he's a good leader.

I do regret that we didn't get to see Daunte overcome his bad play by feasting on the slop my beloved Vikes ate up in recent weaks. If he had, we'd be calling him a leader today.

Thanks for the reply. I know your busy. By the way, go with the heavy duty battle shield this weekend. Go Vikes

Mr. COD;

You made some good points about DC, but I think his mind is set to leave. Saying he wants to play 'where he is wanted' implies he thinks he is not wanted in Minnesota. Otherwise, why bring it up? It may be in reaction to media reports that say the Vikes should dump him. I've heard similar talk here on the East Coast.

Daunte may be motivated by Fowler, ( 6' 1" and a ton of funny money ), who was very disappointed he didn't become the first black owner of an NFL team. I think his road trip with Daunte to Detroit says a lot.

Recall also that Daunte wasn't returning cell phone calls from Tice shortly after his operation, but that he was returning calls to the Vikes trainer, Chuck Barta. Daunte must think Tice is gone next year, or he is gone next year, to join Fowler in another town. Recall also that Fowler was absent from the dinner party thrown by Wilf, celebrating the change in ownership. What's next?.... a Jerry Springer Show appearance by Fowler and Wilf?

I think Wilf was behind the Moss trade, and DC may hold a grudge against Wilf for it. Would Wilf have signed a letter of intent to buy the Vikes and waited for the NFL owners meeting for approval without some agreement as to how the players, coaches or facilities could be changed, or not changed, in the interim? So, Red most likely traded Moss per Wilf's directive, and was asked to take the heat for the trade.

Daunte's pouting is likely influenced by another pouter, Fowler. I don't want it to escalate into a Terrell Owens situation next pre-season. So, I suggest trading him to Enny in AZ for a draft pick, ASAP, and trade up to draft a smart young QB to groom under Johnson.

Johnson and Culpepper are the perfect case study on the impact of turnovers on a teams' W-L record. The suggestion that Johnson is throwing short routes, unlike DC, is no excuse for DCs INTs and fumbles. If DC were smart, he would audible out of long routes, and throw short passes in the same way Montana did to consistently avoid turnovers and methodically march down the field for points.

Imagine how different things would be in Minnesota now if Green hadn't been allowed to trade 'BBB' Johnson to the Redskins for the 11th pick, which turned out to be DC. Groan!

Finally, I wonder about DC's comment that only ONE witness identified him as a participant in Love Boat activities. That sounds arrogant to me, as it implies DC's word is better than the word of that witness.

Daunte! Get a Roll On... out of town! Take the high road! And, take Bennett with you!

How many articles stating that Daunte's doctor told him to stay home and rehab does there have to be before he stops getting bashed for not showing up at games?

As far as the "every quarterback gets booed" theory. . .where were the boos for Brad Johnson on Sunday? Because listening to the Vikings Radio Network on Sunday afternoon, I sure as heck didn't hear them. Maybe the Vikings were just going three-and-out so quickly that nobody had time to boo. I'm not saying that it has anything to do with skin color, because I'd really like to believe that that's not the case, but if Daunte would have performed as terribly against anyone as Brad did against the Steelers, the 'Dome crowd would have booed him out of the building. Hell, it happened in the first half of the Packers game, and Daunte performed better there than Brad did in the second half of the game against the Steelers.

There's one quarterback on the Vikings' roster that allows the Vikings to have championship aspirations. . .it ain't Brad Johnson, it ain't Shaun Hill, and it ain't J.T. O'Sullivan. It's #11.

Gonzo: Show me the articles informing us that Daunte's physicians have advised him to stay home? I've not seen a one and would love to see one that I can post here. I wonder then, if Matt Birk (on sidelines for EVERY game) is using a different doctor? I wonder then, if Nate Burleson (on sidelines while he was injured) is using a different doctor? If so, we need to get Daunte to see those guys since Birk and Burleson seem to be able to make it for the teammates.

Booing a QB should not be the focus of Viking fans. 'BBB' Johnson may have deserved some boos just before halftime when he threw into tight coverage in the endzone. The other INT Johnson threw was a shovel pass inside the redzone that bounced off Bennett's stone hands into a Pitts DBs hands; i.e. a lucky bounce INT which didn't deserve boos. I would criticize him for making that desperation toss, but I can't boo that decision since Bennett might/should have caught it for a 3 yd gain.

Race has nothing to do with booing DC. It is performance-based booing that some want to interpret as racism for other reasons outside of message board discussions of the Vikings. Look at DC's INTs, TDs, and W-L record for evidence. Then compare it to 'BBB' Johnson's TD, INTs and W-L record.

"What we have here is failure to communicate."...

The 'doctor's orders' excuse for staying home MAY be true. But what is DC's excuse for rejecting Tice's request to address the team when he attended the game in Detroit? And what is DC's problem in not returning Tice's numerous calls after his operation, when he did return calls from the Vikes trainer, Chuck Barta?

The biggest problem most people now have with DC is his selfish, devisive attitude. Many fans were willing to overlook his lousy 2005 performances due to the OL troubles. Now, he looks like a 'T.Owens wannabe' in implying he is not wanted in Minnesota.

'BBB' Johnson has made due with the lousy OL, and has won 6 of the 7 games he started. DC may be jealous of Johnson's ability to win with a patchwork OL, and is obviously annoyed with the media critics pointing it out, week after week.

BBB has not 'won' any games by himself like Culpepper can. It seems that every game are third down conversions are like 3 for 12. Even against the Lions!!! That conversion rate is lousy!!! And if Culpepper presented these numbers people would be called for his head. This same thing wasa happening last year when Culpepper was having a hall of fame year,,, and leading great touchdown scoring to take a lead with under 2 minutes left at Green Bay, at Colts (MNF), and vs. Green Bay; but I even remember fans questioning why Culpepper scored too early and it was his fault; somehow overlooking the fact that the defense just let the opposing team march down the field in no time at all. It's a joke!! And people bitch on why he is bitter. Robert Smith (x-viking) stated in his book what a great leader Duante was and how lucky he was to play with him. This is getting old why people continue to hate on Duante when he hasn't even played in 8 weeks.

Daunte's better 3rd down conversion rate doesn't mean a thing if he can't win games! Who cares about 3rd down conversions if a team loses because their QB throws several INTS, or fumbles the ball away each game? The well known adage that says 'the team that wins the battle of turnovers wins the game' isn't a myth. It is backed up by stats.

A QB may throw for 300 yards, and toss a TD pass or two, but if he allows the opponent to score a few times on a short field due to his turnovers, you usually lose despite all the above stats.

Compare the W-L record of Brad Johnson over his career to Peyton Manning and Brett Favre, and he falls a little short of those two HOF QBs. But he is ahead of all other active QBs in the NFL.

If you want a fantasy football player, take DC.

If you want a better chance to win, take Johnson.
A few more examples are BBB Johnson at TB during their SB win season, Tom Brady, and even Kyle Orton of the Bears. None of them turn the ball over, and all of them have winning records as starters.

The mention of 'hating DC' is childish. The only thing I hate is losing, and DC's poor performance is the greatest reason the Vikes lost so many games early in the year.

Football is a team game! Using your argument, Trent Dilfer is a better Qb than Dan Marino because he won a Super Bowl. Asking Duante to overcome all the short comings of the Vikings (no defense, bad coaches) were too much for one player. He had to feel press becuase if he didn't score every procession last year they were going to probaly lose. No way is that his fault. Look it up, Vikings gave up the 30th most yards last year, that is not scoring on a short field, they were driving down the field. Eleven interceptions last year and 4 fumbles lost is not a lot of turnovers for sombody that played the minutes he played, considering the pressure he had last year to score so often. Nothing like Brad Johnson is feeling. But I guess you guys forgot about all his clutch moments he had, when the defense would let him down. I am glad you guys don't run the personnel dept, because Duante will be back!

I had assumed Culpepper was staying away because he was fighting extradition.

Brian:

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/13418558.htm

Culpepper, who tore three ligaments in his right knee against the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 30, explained why he hasn't been around his teammates much since suffering the injury.
On doctor's advice, he said, he returned to his home in Florida to begin rehabilitation on his knee.
"Dr. (James) Andrews recommended a therapist in Orlando, and I've got a one-level house here, so I don't have three different flights (of stairs)," Culpepper said. "There's also no ice on the ground, because if you slip, I'll be right back in surgery. It's better for my knee to be here."

and

Some were surprised Culpepper, as the team's marquee player and leader, hasn't attended more games or been more of a presence at Winter Park.
"Physically, I couldn't stand up and walk," he said. "My doctor didn't want me flying a lot (initially). The guys know my heart."

If his doctor tells him not to go, then I've got no problem with him not going. Yeah, I know Birk is there and Burleson was there. When either of those guys have an injury as serious as the one Daunte suffered, let me know. A sports hernia (that, for the right price, Birk could have played through) and a knee sprain are nowhere near the level of getting all your major knee ligaments torn up.

R Wilk

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2005/12/19/ramblings/audibles/3382/

When last week’s TMQ mentioned my analysis of the Vikings — that the winning streak coincided with the move to the 4-3 defense — Easterbrook forgot to add that Johnson’s stats were similar to Culpepper’s stats not including the first two games. EIGHT of Culpepper’s interceptions came in those two games against Cincinnati and Tampa Bay, two of this year’s best defenses. Now, after Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh, here is a comparison of Johnson to Culpepper without the first two games:

Culpepper, Weeks 3-8: 66% completion pct., 5.45 net yards per pass, 6 TD, 4 INT, 8.0% DVOA
Johnson, Weeks 8-15: 61% completion pct., 5.43 net yards per pass, 8 TD, 4 INT, 5.2% DVOA

Outside of the first two games, Daunte's play wasn't awful. The offensive line continued to be terrible, and the defense absolutely sucked, but Daunte wasn't terrible.

This winning streak directly coincided with the defense deciding to pull their heads out of their arses and play football. Very little has to do with Brad Johnson's "superior" quarterbacking skills. It's easier to win games with your team giving up 16 points/game (as the Vikings have in the games that Brad has started at QB) than it is when your team is giving up 27.5 points/game (which is what the average was with Daunte at QB).

Gonzo: Thanks so much for the research and feedback. You have earned the right to be the official Stat Boy of the Viking Underground! And Lord knows I've been looking for my own Stat Boy! This does change things a bit for me....although I'm still peeved at Pepper for declining to address the team prior to the Lions game when asked by Tice.

Anyway, thanks for the research and taking the time to comment back!

Well, if I'm "Stat Boy," I can only hope this means that I'll eventually be getting my own spin-off show called "Around the (Viking) Horn," where I get to award points to journalists that think they're smarter than they actually are. I will then attempt to do the world a service by berating Jay Mariotti until his head physically explodes.

Seriously, though, I was just hoping to not come off as too big of a jerk. I've been following DC's career since he was at UCF. . .I really hope the guy can come back, because I think his performance from the first few games of this season was a real aberration, and I think he can still be one of the 3-4 best QBs in the league if he can come back fully from the knee injury. I do know that I sure don't want to go into next season with Brad Johnson as the only option at QB, either.

Love the blog, Brian. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and everyone that frequents the Viking Underground.

**** Football is a team game! Using your argument, Trent Dilfer is a better Qb than Dan Marino because he won a Super Bowl. ****

No, W-L records make 'BBB' Johnson a better QB, as well as his lower turnover to TD pass ratio this year, operating in the same O as did DC.
But, while we are on the subject, is Dan Marino anything other than a high stat QB? Seems a lot like DC; great fantasy league stats, likely due to playing catchup after his turnovers put the team in a hole.

**** Asking Duante to overcome all the short comings of the Vikings (no defense, bad coaches) were too much for one player.****

Who 'asked' DC to overcome anything?,... except his own EXCESSIVE turnovers? Turnovers puts undue pressure on the D to defend a short field to prevent the opponents from scoring. So, those who suggest the Vikes D has been in the bottom ten of the league in points allowed due to their own poor performance are missing a key contributing factor; i.e. defending a shorter field after turnovers, or 3-and-outs by an ineffective O.

'BBB' Johnson seems to be succeeding in the same Vikes O, with virtually the same OL, although there is a different OL combination every week.

**** He had to feel press becuase if he didn't score every procession last year they were going to probaly lose. No way is that his fault. ****

Each team has about 11 possessions each game. So, the Vikes would have to score at least 11 FGs = 33 points, maybe more if you assume they need to score a few TDs, to win? Hmmm. I don't recall their D yielding an avg of 30+ points last year.

More plausible: DC has to avoid TURNOVERS, which are a sure way to lose in the NFL. Look it up; it is a well-documented stat strongly correlated to won-loss record. The R-squared correlation coefficient stat associated with the two variables is well over 95%; i.e. teams with a greater positive takeaway-net-of-turnover count have a greater W-L percentage.

***************************************

No one has yet offered an explanation for DC NOT returning phone calls from Tice after his operation, while he DID return calls from Chuck Barta, the Vikes trainer. Are there any thoughts as to why ? { sound of numerous crickets chirping in the distance } May I suggest a 'riff' has developed between DC and Tice, based on DC's perception that Tice will be fired after the end of the season? Alternately, some might refer to this as 'dissing the coach' or 'abandonment'.